Altoona Area High School

Last updated
Altoona Area High School
Address
Altoona Area High School
1415 Sixth Avenue

Altoona
,
Pennsylvania
16602

United States
Coordinates 40°30′36″N78°23′52″W / 40.50998°N 78.39787°W / 40.50998; -78.39787 Coordinates: 40°30′36″N78°23′52″W / 40.50998°N 78.39787°W / 40.50998; -78.39787
Information
School type Public school (government funded), High School
Established1895 (1895)
School district Altoona Area School District
NCES District ID 4202340 [1]
NCES School ID 420234000913 [2]
PrincipalAndrew Neely
Teaching staff115.47 (FTE) [3]
Grades9-12
Enrollment1,678 (2018–19) [3]
Student to teacher ratio14.53 [3]
Color(s)Maroon and white   
Mascot Mountain lion
Website http://aahs.aasdcat.com

Altoona Area High School (AAHS) is the public high school for the Altoona Area School District in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The high school serves the communities of Altoona, Logan Township, and a small portion of Tyrone Township. [4]

Contents

The school district is the eighteenth largest in the state, and the high school is one of the largest and best known in the state. Altoona Area High School (AAHS) teaches grades 9 through 12.

History

The first six official graduates of Altoona Area High School graduated in 1877.

A riot occurred at the school in 1907 after boys in the senior class attempted to disrupt a junior class social. A large fight ensued and several students were injured after students threw stones and fired revolvers. [5]

Another riot occurred at the school in 1910 after 25 senior students—on their last day of school—marched into the school's chapel service with their faces smeared. A large fight resulted, leading to the arrest of two students and suspension of 25 others. [6]

In 1943, Altoona High became the only high school in the United States to have a World War II veteran as its class president. Robert G. Pennington, 18, had enlisted in 1942, and served four months in the Marine Corps before obtaining a medical discharge. He then returned to school. [7]

Country music star and gay rights activist Chely Wright attended the school's 1998 prom, after accepting a request from student Dave Showalter that she be his date. [8]

In 2002, school officials permitted an undercover female police officer to pose as a student for three months in order to identify drug transactions at the school. Five students were charged with drug violations. [9]

Facility

The school was first located at the Webster Building, then became established in a separate building until 1895. In 1905, it moved to its present location on sixth avenue. This building cost $250,000. After the First World War, the building was not large enough to house the number of students it had enrolled. In 1927, a $1 million annex was added to accompany the facilities. A $14 million project during the 1970s allowed the school to be completely renovated and a 1200-seat auditorium was built. A new gym, called the fieldhouse, was also constructed. In 1995, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association High School All-America game was telecast live from the fieldhouse by ESPN2.

Building features

The school itself consists of two buildings (A and B) which contain a planetarium, full size gym, television studio, auxiliary gym, electronic learning laboratory, and regulation size swimming pool. An $88 million renovation of building A and a new B building was constructed across sixth avenue on the site of a former intramural playing field and running track. [10] The new Building B is connected to Building A by a pedestrian bridge over Sixth Avenue. The new building opened in fall of 2021. The Vocational Technology Center is located adjacent to the high school.

Students and teachers

Ethnicity
Ethnicity Altoona Area High SchoolState average
Caucasian 96%76%
African American 3%16%
Hispanic <1%6%
Asian <1%2%
Miscellaneous
CategoryAltoona Area High SchoolState average
Students eligible for free or reduced lunch56%33%
Student to teacher ratio16.63:1~17:1

William P. Kimmel Alternative School

The District offers this school for students who are not successful or are disruptive in the traditional public school setting. The school focuses on dropout prevention, improving student's reading and math skills and assisting the student to successfully graduate. The school was named for a former school board president.

Extracurriculars

The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and an extensive sports program. The district owns three fields with artificial turfs enhance physical education, intramural and interscholastic athletic opportunities.

Clubs and organizations

The school offers a wide variety of clubs and organizations that the students can join. These include Concert Chorus, Drama, one basic and one advanced Jazz Bands, An award-winning, nationally ranked Marching band, Orchestra, Pep band, Wind Ensemble, String Ensemble, Vocal Ensemble, Chorus, Auxiliary, Mountain Lion Television (MLTV), ETC (Et Cetera Literary Magazine), Horseshoe (Yearbook), Mt. Echo (Newspaper), Advanced Dance Class Club, Ambassador Club, Astronomy Club, Chess Club, The Circle of Friends (Support group), Computer Club, Class Organizations, Diversity Group, Earthkeepers, Foreign Language Club (now known as Fanatics for Language and Culture), Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Future Homemakers of America Club (FCCLA), General Interest Club, Girls' League, Homecoming Committee, Interact Club, Junior Academy of Science, Key Club, Lioneers (dance/drill team), Mock Trial Team, National Art Honor Society, National Honor Society (NHS), REACH (Support group), Peer Mediation Program, Performing Arts Club, Principal's Student Advisory Committee, Speech League, Student Council, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Scholastic Scrimmage Team, Sports Interest Club, Youth Education Association Club, and Youth and Government Club.

Athletics

There are numerous sports and athletic programs available to the students at Altoona Area High School including an Intramural sports program. The Football and Track and Field teams compete at historic Mansion Park, which recently underwent field replacement. The District also operates the Sheetz Athletic Training Center a 3600 square-foot facility opened in August, 2009.

Mansion Park home side, summer 2007 AltoonaMansionPark2.jpg
Mansion Park home side, summer 2007
Mansion Park visitor side, summer 2007 AltoonaMansionPark1.jpg
Mansion Park visitor side, summer 2007

Male sports

Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, Winter Track, and Wrestling

Female sports

Basketball, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Golf, Gymnastics, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, and Winter Track.

State champions

The following Altoona High School teams won PIAA state championships in their respective sports. [11]

  • 1939 Boys' Cross Country
  • 1941 Boys' Cross Country (tied with Mt. Lebanon)
  • 1951 Boys' Cross Country
  • 1954 Boys' Cross Country
  • 1982 Girls' Cross Country
  • 1983 Girls' Cross Country
  • 1986 Girls' Basketball
  • 1988 Girls' Basketball
  • 1988 Girls' Cross Country
  • 1995 Girls' Basketball
  • 2008 Boys' Outdoor Track & Field
  • 2009 Boys' Indoor Track & Field
  • 2010 Boys' Indoor Track & Field
  • 2010 Boys' Outdoor Track & Field

Notable alumni

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References

  1. ↑ "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Altoona Area Sd". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences . Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Search for Public Schools - Altoona Area HS (420234000913)". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences . Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 "Altoona Area HS". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Altoona Area School District". Altoona Area School District. Archived from the original on 2011-09-23. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  5. ↑ "Fire Pistols in High School". Pittsburgh Press. April 20, 1907.
  6. ↑ "Riot in Altoona High School Leads to Arrest; 25 to be Suspended". Pittsburgh Press. May 17, 1910.
  7. ↑ "Altoona High School Class Elects Veteran". Reading Eagle. Oct 31, 1943.
  8. ↑ "Altoona Senior Escorts Country Singer to Prom". Reading Eagle. May 28, 1998.
  9. ↑ Gibb, Tom (May 30, 2002). "Drugs Favorite Subject of Officer Posing as Coed". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  10. ↑ "AASD approves $87.3M project". The Altoona Mirror. April 10, 2018.
  11. ↑ "PIAA Championship Archives" . Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  12. ↑ Maury Patt NFL Football Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com
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